He once described himself as being “A sheet metal worker’s son from Gosforth”, however Alan Shearer is much more than that.

You may recall a photograph of ‘The Messiah’, Kevin Keegan at his Testimonial Match, taking the applause of the St. James Park faithful. Close by, looking on is a young track suited ball boy. Who would have thought that almost 25 years on, we would be celebrating that young boy’s career as a professional footballer, specifically his achievements with Newcastle United.

Alan Shearer was a talented young footballer from Gosforth, discovered by local scout Jack Hixon, yet he had to head to the Southampton FC to learn his trade as a professional. When Newcastle United did see the young Shearer play, somebody had the bright idea of playing him in goal during a trial match.

Shearer was still a teenager when he forced his way into the Southampton team in the 1987-88 season, scoring 3 goals in 5 appearances. When he was sold to Blackburn Rovers, he had found the net 23 times in 118 appearances. He was even more prolific with the Ewood Park club, grabbing 112 goals in 138 games. His most successful year being 1994-95, when as well as earning a Premiership Winner’s medal, he scored 34 goals in just 42 games. Sadly, this was destined to be his only medal.

A decade ago, Alan Shearer recovered from injury to lead the line for England in Euro ’96, and at the time there was huge speculation linking him with a move to Old Trafford. However, he famously turned down Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United and returned to his native North East.

That first season (1996-97) saw him plunder 25 goals in 31 games and take the famous Number 9 shirt from Les Ferdinand. The next few years were great times on Tyneside, with the likes of Shearer, Ferdinand, Beardsley, Asprilla, Ginola, Fox, Gillespie and Rob Lee terrorising defences for 90 minutes at a time. Yes, we had defenders too, but Watson, Hottiger, Barton, Beresford, Howey, Peacock and in particular Albert, all wanted to get the ball forward and start the next attack. In some ways, our most natural defender was David Batty.

It was a time of heartbreak for supporters. 4-3 defeats against Liverpool, Manchester United stringing together a series of 1-0 wins as the wheels came off our bid for Premiership glory, narrow defeat in F.A. Cup semi-finals and capitulation in two successive finals. Sadly, it was also the time of a serious ankle ligament damage, which meant long lonely hours of rehabilitation and recovery before a return to first team action.

Managers and players alike have come and gone since Shearer put pen to paper on his first Newcastle United contract. Some, like Gullit, Kluivert and Bellamy have expressed negative views about Shearer and the influence that he is thought to have within St. James Park. Keegan, Robson, Given, Lee, Barton and many many more have nothing but admiration for the man.

I have been fortunate enough to have seen most of Alan Shearer’s appearances at St. James Park, commentating on the majority of them. I believe that he is the most complete English centre forward of the modern era. He is strong, his bravery boarders on fearless and when many would have given up the ghost, he continues to fight for the cause.

He has scored 206 goals for the club, overtaking the great Jackie Milburn’s record that has stood for so long. He has scored 420 Premiership goals and 30 for his country. But, it is not just his goal scoring prowess that left an impression with me.

He could always be relied upon to win headers or bring the ball under control in an instant. Countless times has Shearer put his head on a free kick, corner or throw in to clear the ball from the danger area of Newcastle’s near post. At the other end of the pitch, who was better than Shearer than getting to the corner flag and eating up time to help win a game. And, even in the days fo Gillespie, Ginola and Robert, was there a better crosser of a ball at the club than Alan Shearer?

The shame is that United’s long run without a major trophy continues. Also, there is a certain irony that he was robbed of finishing his playing career on his own terms through injury during the 4-1 derby victory at Sunderland. Then again, as with all the good guys in the Westerns, he ‘died with his boots on’ and he will take a degree of pleasure from that.

Awards, tributes and celebrations will rightly continue for a while. But once the applause dies down, Alan Shearer will have to adapt to life without professional football. No doubt he’ll find some time to get out onto the golf course once his knee allows him to do so. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that there will be a young track suited ball boy at his testimonial match , who will turn out to be another legend.

This ‘sheet metal worker’s son from Gosforth’ is a proud family man, he is a working class lad, who has lived the dream that many of us had when we were kids. He has earned the right to pick and choose what he wants to do with his career after football. Working on TV and Radio is an obvious choice, so is some sort of ambassadorial role with Newcastle United or the Newcastle and Gateshead Initiative.

Players like Alan Shearer come along once in a generation and no single player could replace him. So, Freddie Shepherd will have to dig deep once again and spend wisely.

But that is in the future, for now, thanks for everything Alan.

Paul Laverick – Sports Editor.